Tube bundle for heat exchangers



June 1952 A; A. BERESTNEFF 2,599,428

TUBE BUNDLE FOR HEAT EXCHANGEIRS Original Filed July 15, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET l ATTX J 1952 A. A. BERESTNEFF TUBE BUNDLE FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Original Filed July 13, 1946 on R. m E ill lli IIIIIIII .IIIIIII AM, u m w w 3 Y B m| l m| MM| |H v 9; 3

Patented June 3, 1952 2,599,428 TUBE BUNDLE FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS Alexis A. Berestnefl, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Original application July 13, 1946, Serial No.

683,387. Divided and this application May 27, 1948, Serial N0. 29,525

2 Claims.

This application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 683,387, filed July 13, 1946, now Patent No. 2,565,943 entitled Absorption Refrigeration Systems, and relates to an absorption refrigeration system including a novel and improved heat exchange member for placing strong and weak solutions in heat exchange relation with one another.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide an absorption refrigeration system including a novel heat exchanger for strong and weak solutions.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved heat exchanger for use in absorption refrigeration systems.

A further object is to provide a novel heat exchanger for use in absorption refrigeration systems which permits more satisfactory and economical operation of the system. Other objects of my invention will be readily perceived from the following description.

This invention relates to an absorption refrigeration system which comprises a horizontally extending shell having an absorber arrangement disposed in said shell and extending longitudinally thereof, an evaporator arrangement in said shell above the absorber arrangement, and a second horizontally extending shell placed above the first shell. A generator arrangement is disposed in the second shell and extends longitudinally thereof; a condenser is also disposed in the second shell above the generator arrangement. Means are provided for withdrawing solution from the generator and for forwarding the solution to the absorber and means are provided for circulating solution from the absorber to the generator. A heat exchanger serves to place the strong and weak solutions in heat exchange relation with one another thereby decreasing the cost of operation of the system. Refrigerant is forwarded to the evaporator, the refrigerant being flash cooled in the evaporator; the flashed vapor passes downward about the evaporator to the absorber to be absorbed by solution therein. In the generator substantially the same amount of vapor is boiled out, passed to the condenser, is condensed and returned to the chilled water circuit. Control arrangements are provided for maintaining the capacity of and the concentration of solution in the system as well as pressure, temperature of cooling water and the flow of solution and of condensing water.

The attached drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment bf my invention in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the flow of solution through the various elements of the refrigeration system;

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the heat exchanger;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 f Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view longitudinally of the heat exchanger.

Referring to the drawings there are shown horizontally extending drums or shells 2 and 3, shell 3 preferably being secured in place above shell 2; shell 2 encloses a longitudinally extending absorber arrangement 4 and a longitudinally extending evaporator arrangement 5 disposed above absorber 4. Chilled water treated by thesystem is circulated by a pump 6 through an air conditionin device of any desired type (not shown) and is returned from the air conditioning device to evaporator 5 through line I. The chilled water is sprayed in evaporator 5 by a suitable spray arrangement 8, the chilled water being flash cooled in the evaporator and being drawn from the evaporator through line 9 by pump 6 and again forwarded to the air conditioning device.

Shell 3 encloses a longitudinally extending generator l0 and a longitudinally extending con denser arrangement ll disposed above the gen-' erator Ill. Weak solution is withdrawn from absorber 4 by pump [2 through line 13 and is forwarded to generator l0 through lines [4, [5, heat exchanger 16 and line H. A restriction l8- may be disposed in line I5. Strong solution is withdrawn from generator I!) through line [9, overflow arrangement 20, line 2|, heat exchanger l6 and line 22, to an ejector 23 which forwards strong solution through line 24 to the absorber 4. Line 22 is looped to maintain an adequate quantity of strong solution within heat exchanger I6 for heat exchange purposes. The strong and weak solution lines are placed in heat exchange relation by means of heat exchanger I6.

The term weak solution is used herein to define a solution containing a large amount of refrigerant so that the solution is weak in absorbing properties. The term strong solution de-' fines a solution which is relatively deficient in refrigerant and consequently a solution which possesses enhanced properties of refrigerant absorption.

Various combinations of refrigerant and ab sorber may be used in the present system. I have found that a solution consisting of lithium bromide and water is highly satisfactory for use. Other salt solutions may be used if desired in this system when this system is operated at high temperatures (above freezing temperature) a solution of lithium chloride and water or a solution of sodium hydroxide and water may be used! When the present invention is used to attain low temperatures, ammonia may be used as a refrigerant. A pump 25 passes cooling or condensing water through line 26 to the coil 2'! of absorber 4 and then forwards the water after its passage through absorber 4, through line 28 to the coil 29 of condenser ll. After passage through coil 29 of the condenser II, the water is discharged or, if desired, may be re-used as in the case of a cooling tower.

3 A line 311s, adapted; to withdraw vapor; con;- densate from condenser l I, the vapor condensate passing through a pre cooler assembly 3| and" the form of a loop to maintain: a liquid.

seal between shells 2 and 3 thus permitting different pressures to be maintained in such shells without escape of vapor. A suitable purge arrangement 3.3 is provided topurge condenser II and absorber 4 of air orother non-condensible gases. Purge 33 may operate intermittently or contimiously asdesi'red;

Referring to Figures 2, 8, and 4, ,heatexchanger 15. includes, a pluralityof connected pipes 3'4- for the passage of strong solution. Disposedin each of said pipes is a plurality of smaller pipes 35. assembled. together for the passage of weak solution from. absorber' lto generator I Pipes 35" are. helcf in spaced position by means of wires 38;.disposect at intervals alongthe length thereof. Referring: to Figures 3' and 4, it will be noted that wires 36 are disposed about the innermost pipe-35 at'intervals'along its length. A plurality of'i pipes 35 are. disposed thereabout and wires 31 at" spaced intervals serve to hold such pipes in spaced position to the innermost pipes. A plurality. ofpipes 35* aredisposed thereabout and wires 38. at spaced: intervals servetoholdsuch pipes in. the desired position. Thewires 36', 31, and 38 permit: pipes 35 to be spaced from one anotlien. thus assuringadequate heat exchange relation between strongsolution passing through pipes ancf weak" solution passing-through pipes 351. Strong, soiution. is. passed. into heat exchanger: 18: at point 39; connected to liner-l and is. removed: therefrom at point. 40; connected to line. 22.. Weak solution is; passed into exchanger I16 i'tomline l5. and is removed therefrom through line [1.

It; is desirable that. the capacity he changed immediately upon change in load to. obtain most satisfactory operation. The temperature of. the chilled water may be used' to indicate a change in load since. a. decrease. in. the. temperature thereof from. a. pin-determined" point indicates that. the load imposed upon this system has decreasedl. Asthetemperatu-re. oi the chilled'water leaving the evaporator decreases, the capacity oiithe systemmay be. decreased by throttling the volume. of; strong solution. passing. to the ab.- sorber.

Eon this purpose.v avalve. 41 is.- placed in line lLbetween ejector 231. and. pump. 12. Valve 4.] is: actuated by a thermostat. control. 42.. operated by a bulb..43-plaeed inwor adjacent-.to,1ine..9.. As thememperature of chilled. water passing through line :91deereases fluid. in bulb.- 43. contracts. The control. llinaccordance. therewith tends to. move valve 41,- toward. a closed position, thereby decreasing theamountv oi weak-solution bein iorwarded to generator. I. through lines. l5.v and 11,. proportionately to the. decrease in. the. temperature of the chilled water. Movement. of valve. 4L toward a. closedposition. also decreases proportionately the. amount. of. weak solution passing to the. ejector. 23- The reductionin the amount of" weak. sol'uti'onpassingto. ejector 23 reduces the. velocity of; such. solutionthroughthe nozzle. of the ejector and consequently, a. smaller quantity of strong, solution. is entrained. or in? duced" from line 22'. Throttling action. of valve H4, disposed in: or,- adjacent to line 4,. 4'1 reducessthe amountiof; solution passing to and returning from generator l0 and likewise re duces the amount of solution passing to ejector 23 and iorwardedi to the absorber 4.

Alvalve fl is. provided in steam line 45 to controL theeamountmf steam passing into the tubes ofi generator; I 0: in: accordance with the load imposeduponsthe system. Valve 44 is actuated by thermostat control? 48', operated in turn b3; a lg lllb I e amount, of condensing water passing through condenser II is controlled by means of valve 48 placed in line 49, actuated by thermostat control 5'05. controlled: by bulb: 51, disposed. in or' adjacent to vapor condensate line 30? Thepresent. invention provides: an improved absorptionflreirigeratioir system of increased emcien'cy" and containing an inexpensive heat ex changer which serves. to; reduce; materially the expense of operation. on. the; system: The; heat exchanger included in. the-: absorption. refriger ation; system; may be; readily assembledl and; disposed: its desired, position within'- the; system; as described-above; its; cost: isslow and. itsuse perr mits substantial reduction in operating; cost.

While, I have described. a preferred embodiment' at my inyention, it will. be understood; my invention is not limited thereto; since itmay. be otherwiseembodied: within thescope of the followingolaims.

l'claim:

1. A.heat; exchanger which. comprises. a bundle of pipes disposed: in spaced relation through which a fluid may be passed, spaced members extending. about the innermost. pipe of. said bundle and;spacedi longitudinally thereof, a. row of pipes placedl about. said. innermost pipe in spaced relation to; one another and spaced from the innermost pipe by' said members; second members extending in longitudinally spaced positions about'allthe'pipes of said row, a second row 'ofpip'es' placed about the first row in spaced relation to one another and spaced from. the firstrow' by said members, third members extending" about all" the pipes ofthe second row and spaced longitudinally thereof and a pipe enclosing and supporting the bundle through which: another fluid is passed; said pipebeing held: in: spaced relation to said bundle by the outer: members: disposed thereabout.

2. Aheat. exchanger according to claim 1 in which: said spaced members consist. of wires spaced longitudinally of: the tubes and disposed about and1 holding the; rows of pipes in spaced relationtonne-another.

ALEXIS-A. BERESTNEFF.

REFERENCES. CITED The: following; references are of record: in the file. of thislpatentz.

UNITED: STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 660,292 Durr' Oct. 23-, 1900 231461614 Bergd'oll Feb. 7, 1939 2,229,344 Schneider Jan. 21, 1941 2,267,568 Kleucker' Dec. 23, 1941 2,282,503 Thomas et a1; May 12; 1942 2,408,480.: Reid Oct. 1, 1946 33. 378? Anderson Dec. 23, 1947 2;499;901 Brown Mar; 7,1950

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 488,944. Great. Britain July 18, 1938 664.544 France Sept. 4, 1929 

